The Olympic flame in Paris 2024 has been doused and Tom Cruise showed us all
what was in store for 2028 at the 34th Olympiad in Los Angeles, USA. Last
week I shared a story about my 1957 exploits at the University in various
track and field events. But, that was not the end of the story as I
discovered more items on the subject in old albums.
After ten years as a national staffer in UNICEF Beirut, I was offered an
international post in Cairo in 1969. However I instead asked for a year's
study leave prior to that appointment. It was approved and I enrolled at my
Alma Mater, the AUB, for a Master's programm in "development planning &
public administration". A few days before the academic year started in
September Nadia and I got married and after the briefest honeymoon I began
my courses and planning for my thesis.
Although the condensed one-year course was demanding, I still enjoyed some
sports activities and decided to participate in the May 1970 Field Day. This
time I chose the discus and the javelin throws as I did not have much time
for training during the year. Strangely, during the competition I was unable
to throw the discus anywhere close to what I had done some 13 years earlier.
On the other hand, the javelin was always my favourite event and somehow I
managed a third place finish that day. Not too bad for a married man, a
working UN official and, at 34 years of age, by far the oldest person on the
field! The three photos show me struggling with the discus, throwing the
javelin, and standing on the third place podium.
While most participants had their parents rooting for them, I was the only
one whose cheering section was limited to my wife.
PS. Interesting factoid...at the same university,in 1927, my late father
also won a third place medal for throwing the javelin. As the saying goes,
"like Father, like Son ".
Fouad
what was in store for 2028 at the 34th Olympiad in Los Angeles, USA. Last
week I shared a story about my 1957 exploits at the University in various
track and field events. But, that was not the end of the story as I
discovered more items on the subject in old albums.
After ten years as a national staffer in UNICEF Beirut, I was offered an
international post in Cairo in 1969. However I instead asked for a year's
study leave prior to that appointment. It was approved and I enrolled at my
Alma Mater, the AUB, for a Master's programm in "development planning &
public administration". A few days before the academic year started in
September Nadia and I got married and after the briefest honeymoon I began
my courses and planning for my thesis.
Although the condensed one-year course was demanding, I still enjoyed some
sports activities and decided to participate in the May 1970 Field Day. This
time I chose the discus and the javelin throws as I did not have much time
for training during the year. Strangely, during the competition I was unable
to throw the discus anywhere close to what I had done some 13 years earlier.
On the other hand, the javelin was always my favourite event and somehow I
managed a third place finish that day. Not too bad for a married man, a
working UN official and, at 34 years of age, by far the oldest person on the
field! The three photos show me struggling with the discus, throwing the
javelin, and standing on the third place podium.
While most participants had their parents rooting for them, I was the only
one whose cheering section was limited to my wife.
PS. Interesting factoid...at the same university,in 1927, my late father
also won a third place medal for throwing the javelin. As the saying goes,
"like Father, like Son ".
Fouad
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